China - Ancient. ZHOU: Spring-Autumn Period, 770-476 BC, AE bell (31.16g), 60x55mm, bronze "bell money" (zhong qian or chung), Chinese bronze bell with outside decoration elliptical, without clapper, a lovely example! VF to EF, ex Charles Opitz Collection. Opitz lists these with the comment that they were not currency, but are included in many collections. For many years they have been considered a form of money by some authors, but these have been found in tombs as sets of bells used for making music and sets include small bells up through large ones, each probably playing one note. Whether currency or not, they are still interesting artifacts. Photo size reduced.
